Think of Me
by RunBabyRun8312
Summary: She was Percy's friend. The twins weren't supposed to become her friends, and George most certainly wasn't supposed to fall in love with her. But, the heart wants what the heart wants, not matter how long or difficult the road towards it is. George/OC
1. Chapter 1

Of all the days I remember all the way through, there is one that I can vividly replay over and over again. It's not even my first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In fact, the only memories I have from that day are discovering the deliciousness of Pumpkin Pasties and being sorted into Gryffindor. No, the day I recall the most is the day I started my third year at the school. It was the day that I met two people that would change my life forever. The people who would inevitably be by my side until I graduated four years later, and even after that, no matter how hard I tried to get rid of them.

My parents and I were running late to the station that day, as we always were. Dad got my things aboard while Mum asked me for the millionth time if I had packed everything. A moment later, the whistle was blowing and the two of them were trying to kiss me and shove me onto the train at the same time. I waved goodbye from a window until they were out of sight and then left to find my friend, Percy. Well, maybe 'friend' isn't the correct word. Percy and I have had what you may call a 'love/hate relationship' since our first year. We're always competing for top marks in classes. Whenever a professor is handing out a test, we glare at each other as if we're dueling, not listing causes of goblin riots. One day during our first year, though, we found each other in the library, both half dead from long studying sessions, and began to talk. He told me of all six of his siblings. I shared stories about all my Muggle relatives. I have a lot due to Mum being a Muggle-born and Dad being a halfblood. Somehow Percy and I formed a semi-friendship. We spoke when we weren't rivals and nearly completely ignored each other when exam time came near.

I walked down the train, glancing into every compartment for the familiar red hair of either Percy or his older brother, Charlie, who was in his final year. Finally, I spotted them. Charlie was seated on one side across from Percy who sat with his head in his hands. Two unfamiliar ginger haired boys were in there as well, one on either side of Percy. They looked up when I entered the compartment. I did a double take. They were identical. Then I realized that these must be the twins I had heard so much about, mostly bad things.

"You okay, Percy?" I asked, concerned at his lack of acknowledgment.

"Hey, Perce, you never told us you had any friends," one twin said.

"Especially any of the female type," adds the other.

Percy runs a hand over his face and says, "Abilene, this is Fred and George, my annoying and immature younger brothers."

"Oi! That's no way to introduce us!" George exclaims.

Fred nods his head in agreement. "Yeah, what you should have said was, 'This is Fred and George, my amazing, good looking, cooler-than-I-will-ever-be, younger brothers.'"

I laugh and Percy looks at me like I should be put into Azkaban for it. I slip in past the four pairs of long Weasley boy legs and sit beside Charlie. Percy tried to start a conversation with me about the summer homework we had, but the twins began to roll their eyes and complain about how boring we were. Soon, thankfully, the candy lady came by. Charlie and I pooled some money together and bought a bunch of snacks. George grabs out a bag of corned beef sandwiches that their mother made for them and began to juggle them. He was actually doing quite well for a while before Fred tried to grab one and it fell into Percy's lap. He stormed out to go change into his robes. I laughed so hard that Pumpkin Pastie nearly flew out of my nose. After Percy was gone, the twins leaned forward.

"Seriously, how do you hang out with him and not die of boredom?" George asked.

I shrug. "He's not always bad. I've heard a lot about you two from him."

"All bad?" Fred asked.

I nod.

The twins smile and say, "Well, it's all true."

I laugh and Percy enters again a moment later in his Gryffindor robes. Charlie and I excuse ourselves to go change, chuckling as the twins beg for us not to leave them alone with Percy. I pull on my uniform quickly until I get to the tie. That's always the toughest part. I tie it loosely and sloppily and head back to the compartment just in time to pull into the station. Charlie, Percy, and I hop into one of the horseless carriages. Fred and George had to go with Hagrid and the other first years on the boats. Halfway to the castle, we see an explosion of purple sparks in the air and hear a splash from the lake. All three of us know who it was, but we each have different reactions. Charlie tries to stand in the moving carriage to look and make sure that no one is hurt. Percy shakes his head and mutters something under his breath about the twins being expelled before Christmas holiday. I put the long sleeve of my robes over my mouth to try to conceal my giggles.

We finally arrive at the castle and file through the corridors into the Great Hall where almost all the teachers are already seated. The students separate to the four House tables and the large room fills with the loud chatter of reuniting friends. The noise dies down a few minutes later as Professor McGonagall leads in the first years. George and Fred peer over everyone else and wave energetically at us, much to the embarrassment of Charlie and Percy, but I wave back with a smile. McGonagall begins to call first years in alphabetical order. I look down longingly at my empty golden plate. All I had today was a Pumpkin Pastie and a few Bertie Bott's that the twins and Charlie had dared me to eat. The thought makes the taste of spaghetti, banana split, and old sneakers reappear and I quickly give my attention back to the Sorting so I don't lose my appetite. We had already gotten several new Gryffindors, but I had only been listening for a few named Johnson, Jordan, and Spinnet.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Professor McGonagall calls out, "Weasley, Fred!" One of the twins hops up the steps happily and sits on the stool. Percy whispers under his breath. Charlie crosses his fingers. I roll my eyes. Really, it isn't that often that siblings are placed in different Houses, so I don't understand why they're worrying so much. The Sorting Hat is deep in thought for nearly a minute, then the tear that is his mouth opens into a scowl.

"Thought that you could pull one over on the old Hat, did you?" it roared, "This is not Fred Weasley!"

"Oops. S'pose I forgot which one I was!" George shrugged, trying to feign innocence.

A second later, Fred sprinted up onto the platform and gave his brother a high five before shoving him off of the stool and grabbing the Sorting Hat. Many of the students were cracking up. Percy wasn't, obviously, and the fact that Charlie and I were laughing didn't make him any happier. I glanced up at the staff table. Dumbledore, Sprout, Flitwick, and Hagrid seemed thoroughly amused by the boys' little joke, while McGonagall, Snape, and Filch most certainly did not. The Sorting Hat was still in a bad mood as it sat atop Fred's head. It sat there silently for a long moment. Percy started saying that it wouldn't even Sort them and that they'd have to send the trouble makers home, but soon the tear opened again and the hat exclaimed, "GRYFFINDOR!" Fred came running over to us, followed only a few seconds later by George, who, not to my surprise, was Sorted into Gryffindor as well. Dumbledore gave his usual quick, odd welcoming speech and let us eat, coming back to the important stuff later. As he reminds everyone that the Forbidden Forest was off limits, I think I see his gaze drift over to the twins for just a moment.

After a delicious feast, I'm exhausted, but way too full to climb the stairs up to Gryffindor Tower. The prefects let us in through the portrait hole and tell all of us the new password. I bid the Weasley boys goodnight and climb up to my dormitory. Our luggage has already been brought up, but I'm so tired that I just push my trunk aside and curl up in bed before the other girls in my year even enter the room. As soon as my head touches the pillow and the covers are pulled up, I fall into a deep, feast induced slumber.

The next morning, I awake early and finally unpack my things. When I hurry down to the Great Hall, I see that Percy had beaten me there. Professor McGonagall comes over and hands us our schedules, which are considerably longer than all of the others in her hands. We basically took every extra class offered to third years. We were excited to start our first new class, Divination, but breakfast hadn't even appeared on the tables yet. Maybe we had gotten there just a wee bit too early...

Finally, stacks of toast, assorted jams and marmalades, platters of sausages, and jugs of different kinds of juices appeared. Percy and I chugged some orange juice, grabbed slices of toast, and ran off to find the classroom.

Lunch rolled around after Divination, Herbology, and History of Magic. Charlie sat down on the opposite side of us, already going on about Quidditch plays for this year even though it was the first day back and practice hadn't even begun yet. A few minutes later, Fred and George walked in and sat beside Charlie with matching grins plastered to their faces.

"So," Charlie asks, "How are you enjoying your new classes?"

"Well, our only new class we've had so far today was Divination and it seems rather...well...," Percy starts.

"Stupid? That's what Bill told me, so I never took it."

"I hate to say it, but yes, it kind of was. Professor Trelawney made predictions about all of us. Told me that I'd betray those who love me, but return when we need each other most."

"Ha! That_ is_ a stupid prediction!" Fred snorted.

George nodded and said, "Yeah! I mean, come on, who'd ever love Perce?"

Charlie reached around Fred to smack George in the arm. Percy just glared at him for several seconds before returning to his food.

"And what did she say about you, Abilene?" Charlie asks, trying to restart the conversation.

I shrug. "Something about my love having a hole. Total poppycock, if you ask me."

"Maybe she's saying you'll fall in love with a piece of Swiss cheese!" George exclaimed.

"They could get married!" Fred adds, "Better not misplace him or he may end up in a sandwich!"

"Okay, enough about that mental woman's 'predictions'. How has your first day been so far, boys?" I ask the twins.

"Charms was okay," Fred shrugs.

"Transfiguration was okay," George says.

"Potions...eh," they say in unison.

Charlie, Percy, and I share a quick look and ask, "What happened?"

"Well, let's just say that Professor Snape doesn't seem too fond of Fred and I...," George trails off.

"What did you do?" Percy growls.

"Nothing really..."

Fred shrugged nonchalantly. "We just asked if he knew how to brew some anti-oil shampoo."

Percy and I both turned red; me from trying to hold in my laughter and Percy from pure anger and annoyance. Charlie kept eating, either not caring about what his brothers had just said or choosing to let Percy reprimand them.

"You two need to be more respectful towards the teachers! And don't think that I've forgotten about that little stunt with the Sorting Hat last night! I will be sending Mum and Dad an owl as soon as Errol returns from Bill!" Percy hisses, now shaking with rage.

"Oi! Come on, Perce!" Fred exclaims, "Don't go tattling to Mum! We're just having a bit of fun."

"Percy, maybe we should get going," I start, rising up from my seat, "Defense Against the Dark Arts starts soo-"

"School is not meant for fun!"

I roll my eyes and stand behind him. Charlie and the twins chuckle behind food or sleeves as I mock Percy behind his back, pretending to be furious, shaking my finger and mouthing his words after him. He obviously doesn't know why they're laughing and stomps off in a huff. The other boys and I share a laugh. I lean down to grab my bag and look at Fred and George. "He has a point, though, guys. Just behave and show respect, otherwise the teachers, especially Snape, will make your next seven years a living hell."

And that's exactly what Snape does to Percy the next day in Potions. He goes down the class list, calling names slowly. At 'Weasley' he looks up, narrowing his eyes at Percy. "I believe I had the displeasure of meeting your brothers yesterday, Weasley," Snape sneers, "But I must say, I enjoy the fact that they're twins. It means that I can take double points away from Gryffindor." Percy turns red with embarrassment, which only makes to Slytherin kids snigger even more. I whip around, shooting glares at them. My eyes land on the sack of stupidity that is Marcus Flint. He's laughing the most, leading his band of idiots.  
I'm not one to forgive and forget easily. I'll get him back.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the reviews and follows from the first chapter! I wasn't expecting that much on the beginning of the story, so I was happy and shocked! I love you guys! ;D **

My plan wasn't able to go into effect until nearly two weeks later. All the new classes require a lot, and I mean a lot, more studying time. Finally, one night I down my dinner and head down to the dungeons. Most people don't know where the Slytherin common room is, but I had gotten lost and found it during my first year and the information had been quite useful ever since. I remember last year Oliver Wood, Charlie, and I had used Sonorus to project our voices through the corridor leading there. Charlie pretended to be the Bloody Baron and scared them all so bad that their Quidditch team lost a game the next day. We still didn't win the tournament that year, though, much to Charlie and Oliver's disappointment. This time, I'm Disillusioning some Dungbombs that I had lined up and setting up a complicated system so that when one goes off, all of them go off. It'll give me more time to beat it before Filch turns up. Something claps down on each of my shoulders. If the strong weights hadn't been there, I might've jumped three feet into the air from terror. Oh, goodness, it's one of the Slytherins, isn't it?  
"Whatchya doin'?" a familiar voice draws out.  
I whip my head around. Fred and George are on either side of me, each with a hand on my shoulder. I wrench out of their grasp and glare at them.  
"Oi! Don't give us that look!" Fred exclaims.  
George leans over to his brother's ear, but I still hear him say, "That glare could rival Percy and Mum's, don't you think?"  
"Listen up. I don't have much time. First of all, don't ever sneak up on me again. Second, you two need to get going. _Now_. I'm almost done."  
They peer around me. Their eyes grow wide when they take in the scene around them.  
"Dungbombs," they say in unison, "Nice."  
"Come on, now. Shoo! I'll meet you up in the common room in a few," I said, trying to shove then back down the corridor they came from.  
"We want to help! We want to help!" the twins repeated over and over.

They continued this, but I just ignored them, finishing my setup. The boys jumped around me in an attempt to annoy me into letting them assist me. At one point, Fred tripped over George's foot and landed on the stone ground. His arm hit one of the Dungbombs. "No," I breathed, wide eyed, and shoved George away, but it was too late. The Dungbomb that Fred hit went off and all the others followed. Almost instantly, the corridor was filled with brownish green, foul smelling smoke. There wasn't any time to panic, though. We had to get out of here. I can hear the Slytherin students down in their common room coughing and yelling. Using all my strength, I pull Fred off of the ground and grab George as well. With a good hold on each of their robes, I begin to pull them through the gas, but it's nearly impossible to see. I hold my breath, only inhaling when completely necessary, so the stench doesn't send me into a coughing fit. Then there's the sound of hurried steps and a growl. "Bloody kids and their Dungbombs!"  
Filch.

Now is the time to panic. I jerk the twins back sharply, blindly pulling the three of us against the wall. We hear Filch coming closer slowly. His arm pops out through the smoke every once in a while. He's waving them around in the hopes of catching someone. Then he does. I feel George ripped from my grasp.  
"You!" Filch exclaims, "There are two of you! Where's the other?"

I step away from the wall with Fred. My fingers are turning red from holding onto his robes so tightly. Filch and George are too far away to be seen, but I can still hear the old caretaker growling up ahead. I don't notice right away, but then something touches my fingers. Fred has pulled himself out of my grasp. He shrugs and runs towards Filch. I open my mouth to call him back, but immediately shut it due to the horrible taste.  
"Gotcha!" Filch exclaims.

He suddenly appears in front of me and I pull back, concealing myself again. I narrowly miss Filch as he rushes past, dragging each of the boys by an ear. The footsteps die out a moment later. I bundle my robes up and run as fast as I can. After exiting the cloud, I breathe the fresh air in for a moment. I may not have gotten Marcus back how I wanted to, but at least I prevented him and the rest of the Slytherin Quidditch team from getting into their common room for a while.

I dash into the nearest bathroom and pull my robes off, throwing them over one of the stalls. Then I use mass amounts of paper towels, water, and scented soap to scrub my face and arms. A strand of dirty blonde hair falls into my face. It still reeks of Dungbomb. I bundle it up and clip it to the back of my head. My legs take off running up several flights of stairs while my mind tries to actually come up with a plan. I slide to a stop outside of Filch's office and readjust my skirt. His voice can be heard under the door. I take a deep breath and fling open the door.  
"Mr. Filch, someone got sick near the Charm's room! And Peeves is trying to make people slip in the mess!"  
Where that idea came from, I have no idea whatsoever, but Filch bought it and hurried out if hid office, muttering about Peeves under his breath.  
"You saved us!" George exclaims.  
"What, did you think I'd just let Filch punish you?"  
Fred smirked. "That was a great story you gave him."  
"Oh, I know it was terrible, but shut it and let's go!"  
"Wait!"

I turn from the doorway to see what they're doing. Fred is looking through the papers on Filch's desk while George is rummaging in the drawers. "Guys, come on!" I exclaim, but they completely ignore me. Fred obviously becomes bored with all of Filch's paperwork and starts digging through drawers as well. The twins shove handfuls of confiscated items into their pockets. I'm completely freaking out, checking to corridor every few seconds to make sure that Filch isn't coming back.

"Hey, what's this?" Fred asks.

I turn to see the twins examining a very old looking piece of parchment. My curiosity outweighs my fear of getting caught, so I go to peer over their shoulders. It's a simple aged parchment, nothing special, so why does Filch have it hidden in his desk? Fred unfolds it and shakes it as if that would make it do anything. It looks like a map, but it's completely blank.

"Congratulations," I say sarcastically, "You have found a piece of paper. Can we go now?"

George pulls out his wand and points it at the parchment. . "Here, I've seen Dad do this. _Reveal yourself_."

I cross my arms, getting ready to just leave them here. I risked my neck to get back here and save them and what are they doing now? Messing around with some ancient parchment! Then, out of the corner of my rolling eyes, I see cursive writing curling onto the paper.

I read the words aloud. "_'Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs would like to congratulate George Weasley on finding our map. They feel that he will find it most useful.'_"

"Whoa," the twins say in awe.

I snatch the parchment away and prod it with my wand, doing the exact same thing that George had done. The answer is identical except my name appears instead. Fred tries it next and he gets the same result. The three of us share a glance. The boys then turn to me and start firing off questions.

"What is that thing?"

"Who are Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs?"

"How does it know our names?"

"What else does it do?"

"Why does it smell so old?"

I throw my hands up. "Why are you asking _me_ all of these questions?"

"Because you're Abilene!" George exclaims.

I cross my arms. "Well, I don't know anything about this map thing, but what I _do_ know is that we need to leave…._NOW_!"

"Fine, fine, we're coming. Don't get all worked up!" Fred says.

I shove the map into my skirt pocket and look down the corridor. It's clear, so I gesture for the boys to follow. We make a quick stop for me to dash into the bathroom and grab my robes before going back up to Gryffindor tower. It's just past the time when everyone is supposed to be in their dormitories, so the three of us aren't the only ones scurrying to get where we need to be before getting caught. The twins and I are already in trouble with Filch, though, so we have even more reason to be worried. When we finally get through the portrait hole and into the common room we let out a sigh of relief in unison. Charlie and Oliver rise from one of the couches and begin clapping.

"I told you," Charlie said, nudging Oliver.

"What's going on?" I ask.

"Well, you know how fast word passes through this school," Oliver laughs, "We heard that the Slytherin Quidditch team got blocked from their common room by a cloud of Dung Bombs and we knew it was you, Abi!"

"Yeah, and I see you've brought in my younger brothers in one your tricks. You're a _great_ influence," Charlie says sarcastically, but with a grin.

I roll my eyes. "I didn't want them to be there."

"Hey!" the twins exclaim.

"Well, sorry, but I didn't. Oh, and by the way, you two are cleaning my robes until every fragment of Dungbomb scent is gone."

I toss the garment at the twins and go upstairs to bed, smirking as I hear them groaning.


	3. Chapter 3

**Special shout-out to my anon reviewer who pointed out a very good character element that I'm glad someone caught! ;D **

**Anyway, this chapter is dedicated to one of my best frands (you know who you are) that keeps threatening my life every time we see each other because I have not been updating enough for her liking. XD**

For the next several weeks, George, Fred, and I kept on trying to figure out that map that we had found. Luckily for all three of us, Filch seemed to let out little Dungbomb and escape trip slide. I highly doubt that he forgot about it, but when he tried to hunt us down Professor Flitwick vouched for my exemplary grades and behavior. Mrs. Norris has been following every step the twins and I take, though. In other related news, the boys did return my robes and put on some charm that leaves them smelling like gardenia at all times. It really is quite a clever enchantment. They are way better at magic than people give them credit for.

When Halloween weekend rolls around I am very happy to be able to forget about the mysterious map for a while and embark on my first ever trip to Hogsmeade. Fred and George beg me to think of some plan so they can come along, too, but I tell them to just continue our research in the library. They didn't seem to like that idea very much, though, and slumped down on the breakfast table.

"Hey, Abi!" Fred suddenly exclaims, breaking out of his funk, "Do you think you could get us a pass to the Restricted Section?"

Percy, who had just walked past, turned and said, "Excuse me? What do you two possibly need to get into the Restricted Section for?"

"Nothing," Fred said casually.

"Restricted Section? No one said anything about the Restricted Section. Might want to have Madam Pomfrey check out that head of yours. We wouldn't want to have to put you in the loony bin, now would we?" George teased.

Fred shrugged. "We could have his room then."

"Ah, great point, Freddo. You know what, Perce? Go ahead and keep on losing your mind."

"Can't lose what you never had."

Percy spun on his heel and stormed back out of the Great Hall.

"Thanks, guys," I say sarcastically, "Now he probably won't talk to me on the trip!"

"You _should_ be thanking us," Fred says, "We just saved you from an afternoon of complete and utter boredom."

"Which you wouldn't be having if you just brought us aloooong," George smiles with a sing-song voice.

I roll my eyes and stand up. "Whatever. Just look though a few more books and try not to get into trouble while I'm gone."

"Ay-ay, Captain Abilene!" George salutes.

Fred copies the gesture and exclaims, "Sir, yes, sir!"

Hogsmeade was so much fun. I had been correct in my belief that Percy was angry with me, though. I don't see why he has to get that way with _me_ when it was the twins who were messing with him. Anyway, I spent the trip with Charlie, Oliver, and several other members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. For a few of us, it was our first time in the village, so the older kids showed us around. We went to Zonko's and Honeydukes before trekking out to get a look at the Shrieking Shack. On the way to the Three Broomsticks for some butterbeer, the older kids pointed out some places that they felt were too 'boring' to actually go visit, such as the Hog's Head, Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop, and the Hogsmeade Post Office. I had been hoping to go into some of the other shops, but decided to stay with the fun group instead of wandering off alone. It was a good choice. The butterbeer was delicious and took away the bite of October chill.

As everyone headed back to the castle, I saw Percy up ahead by himself, so I jogged up alongside him.

"Did you enjoy the trip?" I asked kindly to test the waters.

"I suppose," Percy answered, "I got some new ink and did some early Christmas shopping for my sister."

"That's nice." I decide not to tell him that I had gotten the twins some sweets from Honeydukes. It would probably make him mad again.

"And did you have a good time?"

"Yes, but I wish that I had gotten to see the post owls," I say.

"They were quite interesting. You'll have to go there next time."

And just like that, I smoothed things over with Percy. We talked about all the different things we had seen in the village for the rest of the walk. When we arrived back at Hogwarts, Percy went to quickly put his purchases in his dormitory before the Halloween feast. I spotted George and Fred on the other side of the entrance hall and hurried over to them.

"I got you two a little something," I say and stick out the Honeydukes bag.

They snatch it and look inside.

George sighs. "Really, Abi? Sugar quills?"

"Out of all the candy in Honeydukes, you got us the most boring ones," Fred groans.

I put my hands on my hips and say, "I thought that they may encourage you guys to work longer on your homework, but if you don't want them, I'll take them for myself."

"NO!" they exclaim together.

"Well, then, let's head on into the feast, shall we?"


	4. Chapter 4

Christmas passed, Easter passed, and exams passed, but we were still not any closer to getting anything new out of that map. When March came the twins were ready to just toss the old parchment into the rubbish bin, but I was fascinated by it. We agreed that I would take the map home with me over summer break so I could work with it more. I also knew that it would be a lot safer with me than with them.

I board the train with Percy, Fred, George, and the twins' friend Lee. Percy and I have only just been on speaking terms again after exams. With all the classes we had to study for this year, the two of us have barely even glanced at each other in about three weeks. The twins found that rather funny at first until I began ignoring them as well.

We hear people hurrying to get into seats as the train prepares to depart. Percy and I share a worried look. Charlie had gone off to say goodbye to the gamekeeper, Hagrid, whom he had always been close to because of their common love for magical creatures, dragons especially. He hadn't returned yet, though. If he doesn't hurry, he'll miss the train!

"Oh, stop looking like that," George said.

"He'll make it," says Fred, "And if not, he can Apparate."

"How-how'd you even know we were thinking about Charlie?" I ask.

Fred taps his head with his forefinger. "We've got very keen senses."

I scoff. Percy rolls his eyes and cracks open a book.

"For example," George clears his throat, ignoring my expression of doubt, "Abilene, I can tell that you're hugging your bag of Muggle clothes over your stomach so we don't hear it growl. You skipped breakfast this morning so you could indulge in some Pumpkin Pasties on the train."

_Bloody hell. _

My jaw drops. The twins simply nod as matching smirks spread across their faces. Lee bursts out laughing and gives each of them a high five. Percy doesn't take his eyes off of his book, but murmurs to me, "Every time you act amazed, you only encourage them more." Then, the door slides open and Charlie plops down beside Percy, panting. The train starts rolling out of the station just a second later.

The ride was mostly uneventful. Percy kept his nose in a book most of the time, except for when he felt the need to look up and glare at his younger brothers' antics. Arriving at the station was sad. I gave my Weasley boys long, squishy goodbye hugs, especially Charlie because he's going to Romania and I don't know when I'll see him again. The four of them left with their father, so I spoke with my Ravenclaw friend Penelope Clearwater until her parents got there. Mum and Dad are late _everywhere_, so I've grown used to having to wait in King's Cross for them to show up.

The first chunk of summer holiday was spent spending time with family all over the area. All the Muggle relatives think I go to a private school far away with strict visiting policies, so my parents and I always make a trip to see them when I come home in June. The entire drive back to our home my fingers were itching to grab at some of the books that Madam Pince had let me take over the holiday. She's always been really nice about letting Percy and I check stuff out over breaks. I would've taken them with me, but my younger cousins are some the most annoying, nosy children ever. If Percy ever met them, he'd be appreciative of the twins.

I spent night after night with a small booklight reading giant, old books in bed, trying to work the map that the twins and I had found. All the answers were vague and only slightly helpful, but it was better than nothing.

_ Many enchanted items, such as memorandums or keys, will only reveal their secrets when a password or special spell is spoken to them. Nicholas Flamel, most known for his work on the fabled Sorcerer's Stone, kept his journals protected with the password "Bemini", for that was the mythical island from which the water of the Fountain of Youth flowed from. It seems to have become common for the enchanters of these items to make the password something relevant to the object. _

And there it was.

That had to be the most helpful piece of information I had read. My arms shot up in the air in an expression of victory, but I had to be quiet because Mum and Dad were asleep down the hall. The happiness did not last very long, though. I remembered that I couldn't perform magic outside of school, therefore I couldn't try to open the map. At least I had several more weeks to make a list of possible passwords.

I composed a quick letter to George and Fred before setting to work on what I didn't know would prove to be something amazing.


	5. Chapter 5

"Have a great year, sweetie!"

"I will!"

"Be safe!"

"I will!"

"Get good grades, have fun, meet a boy!"

"Mum…!" I whine.

Mum had been yelling all her goodbyes to me as the train pulled out of the station. We had made it through the barrier between platforms 9 and 10 just in time for me to quite literally hop on the train. This left my mother with no choice but to jog after the Hogwarts Express as we departed. Dad walked behind her, smiling at Mum's eccentric actions. At the moment that the mostly one-sided conversation got embarrassing, he intervened and put an arm around Mum's shoulders.

"Okay, Roxy, that's good."

Mum quiets down for a moment, but then can't seem to contain herself and yells, "I love you, Abilene!"

"I love you, too," I sigh with a smile. I really do love my parents a bunch, but I wish our farewells hadn't just been shouted so everyone in the vicinity could hear.

The train leaves the station entirely and I go to find someone to sit with. The first person I spot is Penelope, so I join her and some of her fellow Ravenclaws for the time being. After a while, the compartment door slides open to reveal Fred and George.

"ABI!"

Next thing I know, they're lifting me into the air and squeezing me. Usually I'd fear for my health if two twelve year olds could pick me up, but the twins were rather tall for their age, so I suppose it's not all that strange. They drag me out into the hall, barely letting me shout a quick goodbye to Penelope. Fred grabbed my bag with my Hogwarts robes and George holds the cage with my cat, Apollo. They lead me into an empty compartment.

"Well, come on!" they say impatiently.

"….What?"

"The map!" Fred exclaims exasperatedly.

George sets Apollo's carrier down on a seat. "You said you figured it out."

"Not entirely," I reply, "I told you that I couldn't try it out at home because I'm underage. Did you two even read the letter I sent you?"

The twins glance at each other and both raise a hand to scratch their necks.

"We may have, uh…" George trails off.

"Skimmed through it," Fred finishes.

I roll my eyes, but then grin at them anyway. Against my better judgment, I pull down the shades on the compartment door and get out the map. After relaying the contents of my letter that they hadn't taken the time to read, we try to think of possible sayings to open it with. Fred and George shout random words while shaking their wands about until I fold the parchment and smack each of them with it, threatening to put it away.

"Come on," I sigh, "I want some _real _answers."

"Well, we found it in Filch's office, so it probably is something that causes trouble," Fred offers.

We utter every synonym for the word "trouble" that we can think of, but nothing is happening. Soon, we're all talking over each other, growing irritated. Honestly, _where_ is the candy trolley? Then, all of a sudden, a flash of lines and words appear and then fade back into the parchment.

"What happened?" I ask, "What did you say?"

"'Wreaking havoc'," answers Fred.

"'Up to no good'," George says.

I try each of the phrases they said. As soon s the "d" in "good" leaves my tongue, the weird images appear and dissolve once again.

"That's it?" the twins ask.

Fred falls back onto a seat. "We've spent almost a year slaving over that bloody parchment for _that_?"

"I'm sure there's more to it," I mutter, then turn to Fred, "And watch your tongue, mister." George doesn't even try to stifle his chuckle as I scold his twin.

A commotion in the hall startles me and I drop the map. I open the compartment door to see a colorful lion snarling at Oliver. Flint directs the creature with his wand while several other Slytherins laugh behind him. Oliver begins to send an Immobulus charm when the lion lashes out, leaving a long, thin cut on his hand that starts seeping blood instantly.

Stepping into the hall, I aim my wand at Flint and yell, "EXPELLIARMUS!"

Flint's wand flies out of his hand and hits one of his buffoons in the eye. The lion dissolves into a pile of bright papers. One of the girls tries to use Flipendo on me, but Oliver grabs his wand off the floor and shouts, "Protego!" The Shield Charm works perfectly. The Slytherins aren't going to give up just yet, though. Flint angrily retrieves his wand and prepares to attack, but we recognize the voice of a Hufflepuff Prefect demanding to know what's going on. We all scatter, the Slytherin kids pushing past us to find somewhere to hide. I shove the twins, who had been behind me trying to get in on the fight, back inside the compartment and drag Oliver inside as well. When the Prefect passes, still searching for the troublemakers, I sigh in relief. I hope to be made a Prefect next year and getting caught by one just may hurt my chances. Turning from the door, I see Oliver is gripping his hand tightly, but blood still oozes out.

"Oh, I forgot about your hand! Let me see."

Oliver shrugs the way only a Quidditch player who has been injured a few too many times would. "Only a little blood. Madam Pomfrey'll take care of it."

"Well, until then," I say, taking the bleeding hand and pointing my wand at it, "Ferula."

White bandages spring from the tip and wrap around the bloody hand. That paper lion Flint created must've given Oliver quite a deep paper cut.

"They should be forbidden from buying candy if they're going to use the wrappings for evil," Oliver says.

"The candy lady's already been by?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah, just a few moments ago."

Fred laughs. "I think you just broke poor Abilene's heart."

"She's probably up ahead. I'll get you something for all that help with Disarming Flint and fixing my hand, Abs," said Oliver, "What's your favorite?"

I open my mouth, but the twins cut me off.

"Pumpkin Pasties," they answer.

Oliver nods and turns to leave. Fred and George whisper suspiciously and then hurry out, saying that they need to speak to Oliver about something. I gather up my robes and go to change before they come back, deciding I'd rather not worry about what's on the twins' minds right now.


	6. Chapter 6

"Percy's tutoring someone in the library later. You guys want to play some Wizard's Chess or something after homework?" I ask at dinner.

The first few weeks of this term have been completely uneventful aside from the usual antics of Hogwarts. There hasn't been much time to hang out with anyone, unless you count silently doing homework with Percy, which I don't. I was antsy for some fun, preferably not the kind that would get anyone into trouble.

Fred mutters two words while chewing. "Can't. Busy."

"Busy?"

"Quidditch tryouts start tonight," George answers.

"Quidditch! I... That-that's not a very good idea."

"Bill and Charlie both played! And we've been practicing all summer with Ron and Ginny!"

"Yeah, if there's anyone you wouldn't want playing Quidditch, it's Ron," Fred says, "And we already spoke to Wood about trying out."

So _that's_ what they wanted to talk to him about on the train.

I push some potatoes around my plate. "It's just a dangerous game. I mean, haven't you two ever heard what happened to Oliver during his first Quidditch match?"

They shake their heads.

"OI! OLIVER!" I yell down the table to my right.

He turns his head and nods for me to continue.

"Tell these two blokes," I say, pointing at the twins, "What happened to you during your first match!"

"Took a Bludger to the head two minutes in and woke up a week later in the hospital wing."

I turn back to the twins, a smug grin on my face, and begin eating again. That ought to turn them against going for the team. Then, mid-chew, I hear Fred and George simultaneously say, "Cool." I drop my fork and sigh.

The twins made the team, no real shock there. They were made the new Beaters. Two girls from their year, Angelina and Alecia, also made the team and joined the one Chaser we still had from last year. Apparently, Lee Jordan tried out as well, but didn't make it. He was rather upset, so McGonagall appointed him as the new announcer. The first game was going to be against Ravenclaw next weekend.

It was Saturday and I terribly lonely. Neither Percy nor Penelope were anywhere to be found. I was about to just get a book and go read in one of the courtyards when I saw the twins heading outside.

"What're you up to?" I asked, catching my breath from running to catch up.

"We're going to the Whomping Willow," said George.

"Why?"

"The map told us to," Fred shrugs.

I step ahead, stopping in front of them. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! That thing is in my bag. What are you talking about?"

Fred reaches into his back pocket and pulls out the folded parchment. "We learned Accio this summer, too."

"We'll come back to the thievery part in a moment," I sneer, "Are you trying to tell me that you two figured this thing out without telling me and that you were planning on exploring, also without me?"

"Well, you've been busy," George says sheepishly.

"Besides, the first tunnel we checked out on here was boarded up," Fred adds.

"Well, come on! Let's go to the Whomping Willow, then!" I snap, turning on heel and stomping off ahead of them.

The walk was quiet, which I was personally thankful for. Who was there when the damned thing was found? Who read and read and read for weeks to help understand it? Who kept the bloody thing safe over holiday? Me. And then they just take it from my bag and don't include me in anything?

My mental tirade goes on for the entire duration of the journey to the giant tree. George and Fred stop beside me a few feet out of the reach of the evil thing. I've never been this close to the Whomping Willow, but Bill once told Percy, Charlie, and I that there was a kid messing with it and they got thrown clear across campus.

"Well? Come on."

Fred pulls the (stolen) map out of his back pocket and then makes a big show of clearing his throat before tapping the parchment and saying, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." I glance at George, whose gaze shifts from me to the object in his brother's hand to the ground, where he grinds the toe of his trainers into the soft earth. I can't tell if he feels guilty, or if he's just playing me. Fred turns the map my way and gestures towards it, grinning. I snatch it from his hands and examine the front. In swirling words, it reads:  
Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs are proud to present the Marauder's Map

Inside is even more amazing. It's a detailed map of all of Hogwarts, but the breathtaking part is that there are little footprints with names beside that show the location of everyone on the grounds. Beside the Whomping Willow, there are three sets of feet labeled George Weasley, Fred Weasley, and Abilene Sullivan. I take a few steps to the left and watch my name follow.

"Wow," I breathe in disbelief. The capabilities of magic will never cease to amaze me.

"Well, if you look here," Fred says, pointing over my shoulder, "You'll see that there should be a tunnel or hatch of some sort near the base of this tree that'll lead straight to Hogsmeade."

I shake his arm away. Just because I'm extremely impressed with this enchanted map does not mean the twins are back on my good side. Fred looks back and forth between the map and the Whomping Willow until he points to a spot on the bottom of the trunk and nods before handing it to George and asking him to give directions. He then steps forward underneath the branches.

"Fred!" I yell, unable to help myself, "Be careful!"

Ugh, I really wish I weren't the older, responsible one at this moment.

"It's just a stupid tree, what's it gonna d- AHHH!"

The branches lashed out and swiftly lifted Fred into the air. I screamed for him and ran forward, not thinking. The Whomping Willow came for me now. A large branch swung towards me and I had no idea how to brace myself. I heard the swoosh, but was not tossed upward. In fact, I was tackled and pinned to the ground. My eyes opened to see George lying across my middle perpendicularly. His head turned to face me.

"Okay, Abs?"

"Yeah, thanks," I reply, "Now we should probably get your idiot brother."

Fred was still clinging to one branch as it whipped him around and around. George and I remained low and got ready to grab him. With a shared nod, we began to count down. "One, two, THREE!" Each of us reached and grabbed a handful of Fred's shirt and tugged him down. He landed with a thud and the three of us crawled away from the Whomping Willow. Once to safety, we rolled onto our backs and took a moment to catch our breath.

"Are you alright, Fred?" I ask.

"Chipper, fantastic, couldn't be better. That was actually rather fun."

I cock an eyebrow as we push ourselves to our feet. I can't tell if he's being sarcastic or not, and that kind of scares me. Moving on, I look down to brush the dirt off my jeans and then hear the stomach-churning sound of vomiting. Fred has one hand on a nearby tree, one that doesn't attack, and is holding himself up as he throws up near the trunk.

"Well, _that_ doesn't seem like fun," I comment.

"I saved you and Fred just upchucked his innards. I think that's justification for you to forgive us," George says to me.

We help Fred back to the castle and he cleans himself up, but then immediately goes to tell the story to the rest of the Quidditch team with George. I interject at moments when they exaggerate too much, but otherwise stay quiet. When it's time for supper, I sit with Percy because the Ravenclaws are staring down our Quidditch team in the Great Hall as we eat. The tension for the first match is rising, but I'm fairly confident we'll win. Percy doesn't want to go, but over the years I've mastered a skill called "the guilt trip" for moments like this.

"They're your younger brothers and it's their first game. It'll be important to them that you're there."

"They won't even notice if I'm not there."

"They look up to you so much, Percy," I say sincerely, although I know this is seven thousand percent not true.

He looks at me silently, just blinking. He doesn't believe that part at all

"Come on, we'll sit with Penelope and the other Ravencl-"

"Fine, I'll go."

"But, Per-" I start, "Wait... Really?"

**Hmmm, what's up with Percy? Any guesses, my lovely readers? ;D**


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry an update took so long! I decided to break all I had written lately into more than one chapter, so I should be posting more before I finish spring break! This is a shorty, but I added another character. I haven't decided if they're going to be important or not, honestly. XD  
Anyway, enjoy the twins being, well, the twins. **

"And Chaser Alecia Spinnet scores ten points for Gryffindor! That's fifty to thirty!"

I cheered loudly, the fringe of my crimson and gold House scarf bouncing as I jumped. I turned to my two companions, Percy and Penelope, to find them discussing something with their heads close in order to hear each other in the middle of the rowdy crowd. Rolling my eyes, I put my attention back to the Quidditch match.

Oliver whacked away a Quaffle and prevented one of the Ravenclaw Chasers from making a goal. I had grown to be able to tell the twins apart quite well, but when they were both zooming through the sky, it was hard to determine who was who. Lee announced that Angelica Johnson had scored us another ten points, but had been too busy trying to tell the two Beaters apart that I had missed seeing it. There was another roar from Gryffindors. We had twice the amount of points that Ravenclaw did. All we needed was to catch the Snitch.

"Gryffindor Seeker Jeremy Levman has just shot across the field, possibly noticing the Golden Snitch that would end the match."

The crowd focused on the player zigzagging, forgetting all the other members of the teams.

"And Ravenclaw's new Seeker, Cho Chang, has rather rudely shoved Levman in a savage attempt to grab the Snitch."

I laughed, looking over to where Lee was commentating, only to see McGonagall chewing him out. The two Seekers flew side by side, each with an arm outstretched. Everyone fell silent as Cho Chang brushed the golden orb. She was millimeters from grabbing it with her fingertips. It dawned on all the Gryffindors that we were about to lose. And then –

Cho flew backwards, having taken a Bludger to the middle. Levman grabbed the Snitch and lions…. Well, we roared, no pun intended. The twins flew to each other from opposite ends of the pitch and high-fived. I raced down to the field with the mass of people to congratulate the team, not caring about leaving Penelope and Percy. They probably wouldn't even notice me being gone.

A celebration was held in Gryffindor Tower after dinner that night. Even Percy joined in on the festivities a little. He can't deny his lion pride, no matter how he always seems to not care. The two of us had managed to snatch up spots on one of the sofas when some people got up and were determined not to lose them. Neither of us were really keen on taking part in the group singing or the repetition of lively reenactments from the match that hadn't even been six hours ago.

"Watch my seat," I said to Percy, "I'm gonna go get something to drink. You want anything?"

He shook his head and shifted himself over to be situated directly in the middle of our two cushions so as to not let anyone sit down.

I squeezed through everyone over to the flagon of pumpkin juice and grabbed a cup. A yelp escaped me a moment later as I sloshed some of the liquid onto the floor due to being bumped into.

"Oh, sorry," a familiar voice said, and then yelled, "ABI!"

"Oi, where've you been?" George asked, turning around when he heard Fred's exclamation.

"You're supposed to be partying with us," Fred said and began shimmying.

My eyes watered a little bit from laughter. "What can I do to never see you do that again?"

"Join us," the twins said simply.

"But I'm hanging out with Percy."

They each wrapped an arm around my waist and hoisted me up. "No, you're not."

I kicked my feet, but only succeeded in getting a shot to George in the back of the knee, which did not get me set down, but dropped. My bottom hit first, with a small bounce, and my head collided not with the ground, but someone's ankle. The twins' mouths were in an O shape and they quickly pulled me up despite my glares at them.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said, brushing myself off.

It was only then I realized that Fred wasn't talking to me, but to the person I knocked my head on. Jeremy Levman, our Seeker.

"What're you two up to?" he said cheekily.

"Trying to get our friend Abilene here into the celebratory mood," George said.

Levman pointed to the twins and said to me, "These two! They won't tell anyone who hit that amazing Bludger."

"It matters not who hit the Bludger, but who is hit with it," Fred says dramatically, "I'm pretty sure that's a Shakespeare quote."

One of my eyebrows rose. "How do _you_ even know who Shakespeare is?"

"I read!"

I scoffed. "Okay, whatever. Well, I'm going back over to Percy. And boys, a piece of advice – playing Quidditch gets you girls, throwing them around does not. See you later."

Percy asked why I didn't have the drink I had gotten up for. I looked back over to the juice and then slouched down, giving up. It's a good thing I'm a wizard because I think that Muggle parties would just exhaust me.


	8. Chapter 8

A few days later I had fallen a little ill, but still went to class as usual, despite how miserable I felt. Professor Flitwick stopped his lesson when he noticed my pale face and shaky note-taking hands and instructed me to go see Madam Pomfrey. She confirmed that I had a high fever and headed back to her pantry to see what remedies she had, muttering something about "wretched midnight astronomy lessons in the cold." I couldn't disagree with her.

Madam Pomfrey had been preparing a good stock of Pepperup potion for the upcoming cold season, so I would have to wait for her to brew something different for me. That meant staying at least one night in the hospital wing under her care. Oh, joy.

Percy came by right after classes ended so we could do our homework together as usual. He caught me up on what I missed at the end of Charms as well as Ancient Runes and Potions. Madam Pomfrey eventually shooed him off when it was time for dinner in the Great Hall. I got hot soup brought from one of the house elves in the kitchen. As the night went on, I read and Madam Pomfrey kept draping more and more blankets on me. At nine o'clock, without warning, she blew out the candle beside me, set my book on the bedside table, and bade me goodnight.

For as worn out as I felt, sleep just was not going to be my friend. I felt like I had been lying there for hours, flipping back and forth between being too cold and too hot. What was the point of going to a magical school if they couldn't just make you feel better with the flick of a wand? I rolled over and kicked my legs out from under the mountain of blankets, beginning to feel too hot once again. Being sick made me grouchy and irrational. I just wanted to sleep.

My grip on the pillow tightened as the heavy doors that led in from the hall slowly creaked open. I had no clue what time it even was. Part of me wished someone else had come down with a bloody fever so I wouldn't have to spend the night alone. Footsteps approached. I close my eyes and pretended to be asleep.

"Abi…?" someone whispered gently.

I sat up quickly, recognizing the voice, but regretted it as soon as my overheated head went all fuzzy.

"Careful there," George said, catching my dazed eyes and softly grabbing my shoulder.

Everything went back to normal and I gave him a small smile.

"This guy kept whining for you."

For a moment, I thought Fred was referring to George and I was extremely confused, but then he dropped Apollo onto the bed. In the low light of the room I hadn't even noticed he had the cat with him. Apollo stepped into my lap and rubbed his chin against my hand.

"We would've come earlier, but Snape gave us detention all night," George explained.

"The bloke barely let us go get supper," Fred added grudgingly.

I grinned a little. "Still sounds better than being here."

We talked for a little while before I demanded they go back to the Tower. I decided to keep Apollo with me so it wouldn't be so lonely the rest of the night.

"You two be careful. Don't get caught! I'd feel horrible."

Fred pulled something out of his pocket. "We're good, I've got the map."

The twins leaned over and both pecked a cheek. If I didn't have a fever, I would have blushed. Those boys could be so sweet when they wanted to.

"G'night," said Fred.

"Night, Abs. Feel better."

"Thanks. Goodnight, boys."

I shimmied back down under the blankets. Apollo curled up beside my torso and purred for a while. It took me some time, but I eventually drifted off.

Madam Pomfrey took my temperature when I awoke. She frowned a little and then turned away. That didn't seem like a good sign.

Apollo had already left, probably sensing that he wouldn't have been welcome in the hospital wing. There was still an imprint from where he had slept beside me. I told Madam Pomfrey that I didn't feel like eating, but tea and oatmeal were put in front of me anyway. I powered through swallowing some just to appease her.

Sometime in the afternoon (it was hard to keep track of time in here), Professor Snape strode in with a young Slytherin boy covered in multicolored spots.

"Oh, dear, what's happened, Professor?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"Those Weasley buffoons were messing around in class and dropped something in Miles' cauldron. Blew it up."

I resisted the urge to snort with laughter. But of course Snape would only care if it were a Slytherin who was hurt. If it had been Fred or George who had been blasted to look like disco ball, they would not have been escorted to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey and Snape talked to the boy to try to find out what had gotten into his cauldron. Suddenly my stomach flipped and I scrunched up my face. I didn't want to complain about it, especially in front of Snape.

But it wasn't going to work. I threw the covers aside and stumbled on weak legs to a pail sitting a few feet away. Madam Pomfrey hurried over upon hearing me vomit my breakfast. She grabbed my arm and helped me back to bed before going to get me water.

"Good heavens, girl, you have the look of death. Your potion should be ready soon, though," Madam Pomfrey said when she handed me the water and then turned to Snape. "I'll take care of Miles, Professor. He'll be fine by supper."

But _I _wouldn't be.

Snape turned to me, his lips forming a little sneer, as he got to the doorway. "Miss Sullivan, you missed a test yesterday in class. You'll have two days to come in and make it up."

Around dinnertime, when I was once again forced to eat a little bit, three redheads came in. At first I was happy to see Percy, George, and Fred together. But then I realized the twins' clammy faces.

No.

Soon Madam Pomfrey had them set up in beds. Percy didn't seem to be in too good of a mood. Now that he was the oldest Weasley there, it was his job to watch over the twins and they both were sick. He was probably going to get into trouble and it was _my _fault. With a mumbled goodbye, he hurried off to go send an owl to their parents.

"Now we can hang out all night," Fred said, trying to sound cheery with his miserable-sounding voice.

I put my attention back to my book. "You two are idiots."


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry it's been so long since an update. School's just about out, so I should be able to get more regimented with posting new chapters.**

It was spring before I knew it. Winter went by rather quickly and soon the school grounds were beginning to show signs of green life. It was nice enough to sit outside for studying. Percy, Penelope, and I were determined to all become Prefects the next year, so we were deeply engrossed in our notes, making sure we knew even the most trivial of facts. The twins were often busy with Quidditch practice. It would seem that everyone in Hogwarts came alive when the long-buried grasses did.

I never realized how tired I was until I pulled the curtains down around my bed. One night the other girls in our dorm had to shake me to get up for Astronomy. I stumbled up the stairs and rested my head against Percy's arm once we got to the top. He stifled a yawn and nudged me once we had instructions from the professor. The friendship between Percy and I this year is the best it's ever been and that's because we don't actually have to compete against each other for the Prefect title because they pick one boy and one girl.

One Saturday I hurried after a cluster walking towards the entrance of the school.

"Oliver!"

He stops and allows me to catch up.

"Hey," I pant, "Could you pick me up some black ink while you're in Hogsmeade?"

"Sure, I guess. Why aren't you going?"

"I have to study for that Charms test coming up."

"Oh, yeah, that is coming up – in nearly two weeks! Come on, Abilene, you're coming with us."

"It'll be fun," chimed in a familiar voice, Jeremy Levman.

_Don't do it. Don't do it. Don't give in, Abilene. You're such a pushover. Don't go. Don't. Go._

"I – Fine."

"There's a good girl," Oliver grinned.

* * *

And so I ended up in Hogsmeade with a majority of the Quidditch team. My only condition was that I actually get to go buy the ink that I needed. The boys were going to wait for a table at the Three Broomsticks, so I took that as an opportunity. I hadn't even taken three whole steps away before I had a waling partner. Levman was suddenly by my side.

"Didn't want you having to walk alone," he said in way of greeting.

"It's not that far down the road. Wouldn't you rather wait with your friends?"

Levman shrugged. "It's good to get my legs moving, especially on a day as fine as this. And I _am _with a friend, aren't I?

"…I suppose."

My steps involuntarily became slightly more rigid. Levman was very nice, but we had only exchanged pleasant greetings a handful of times. In my book, that didn't really classify us as "friends."

We strolled down the road and I soon noticed that this wouldn't be all that awkward of a walk between the two of us because it really wasn't just the two of us. People would call out Levman's name and say hello or wish him a good afternoon. At one point he stopped to have a conversation with someone. I went to go on ahead to my destination, but he told me to wait and that he'd only be jest a moment.

Well, "just a moment" turned into a few minutes and I began to grow tired of standing there waiting for a conversation that I was not included in to end. I paced a little and glanced into the windows of the shops we were near.

And then I saw it.

Two orange heads bent over a barrel of candy inside Honeyduke's. The panic and anger that clenched my chest told me that there was no mistaken identity. I ducked away from Levman and his pal and darted inside the store. The sweet scent did not have its usual effect on me. I stepped up behind the twins and grabbed a firm hold of their ears.

"OW!"

"Shut up," I hissed, moving quickly to get out of where people were looking for the source of the painful outcry.

"I thought you were our mum for a second there," George said.

Fred shook his head and groaned. "Abs' fingernails hurt more."

I ignored them. "What are you two doing here? And don't give me any cute answers."

"We decided to check out the last route on the map. It was a tunnel that led all the way here."

A tunnel? Straight between here and the castle? I was intrigued, but more than anything I just wanted to go. Levman is a nice guy; it's just uncomfortable to me to be around him alone. He has a never ceasing flow of friends and fans around – it's just strange.

"Show me," I say abruptly, "Let's go."

"Right-right now?" asks George.

I glance out the window. Levman was looking around, his eyebrows scrunched in confusion. He pokes his head inside Honeyduke's.

"Right now," I answer quickly.

The twins lead the way to the back of the store where there's a trap door. I practically shove both of them down it when I see Levman approaching the place we just stood. The door closes on top of me and we're in total darkness.

"_Lumos_," I hear the twins whisper.

The tips of their wands glow and the expanse of the tunnel is revealed. The dirt ground is soft beneath my feet. I touch the brick wall. It's warm from the spring air above. Everything about this is so beautiful to me. The twins urge me on, waiting ahead impatiently. The wizarding world will never cease to amaze me, not even the parts like old, musty tunnels that have nothing to do with magic. It's all just so incredible, so awe-striking.

"Ab-_iii_."

I sigh and pick up my pace to catch up.

* * *

When we reach the end, the boys are tired from the two trips they've made down the tunnel. I didn't even take note of how long the walk took. We pop out of the hunched witch statue inside the castle and go up to the Tower. They get out the board so we can play a few games of Wizard's Chess and I wasn't even concerned about missing out on study time because if it weren't for them I'd be stuck in Hogsmeade still anyway. It's the most time the three of us have spent together in a long time.

As George plans out his next move I can't help but wonder how exactly our friendship works. Sometimes I think it consists of me saving them from detention or expulsion, but other times it seems like it's them constantly saving me from spending my days and nights hunched over books. We're always helping each other, although most of the time they claim that they never needed my help in the first place, which is wrong.

Later I excuse myself to go fix my hair before dinner. I'm pulling the blonde mass through a ponytail band when two of my dorm mates, Morgan and Tabitha, come in from their trip.

"Well, there's the girl of the hour!" Tabitha exclaims, "My goodness, it seems like half of Hogsmeade was looking for you."

"What are you talking about?" I ask.

Morgan laughs. "When Jeremy Levman loses track of a girl he makes sure everyone knows."

"I _can't believe _you just ditched one of the hottest seventh years," says Tabitha.

I don't say anything, just go to make my way out of the room.

"You had him all strung out. Poor guy thought you'd been murdered in the Shrieking Shack or something. He even checked the Hog's Head."

They looked at me as though waiting for an answer, perhaps an excuse of some sort. I couldn't exactly tell them that I had escaped with the Weasley twins through a hidden underground tunnel. I just wanted them to leave. Tabitha and Morgan weren't really mean or annoying or anything like that, we've just never been close.

"I didn't feel well, okay? So I left. If you have a chance, please tell him that I'm sorry," I said, "And I'm not coming to dinner, either."

It wasn't exactly a lie because now I truly did not feel well. And the worst part was that I could not pinpoint why exactly my stomach started churning. I'm not used to attention, at least the kind that's not about my marks.

All I had wanted was some ink. Is that too much to ask for? But instead running away from someone I'm not even scared of, causing the people in Hogsmeade to search for me. And now I'm skipping out on dinner even though I'm starving just because I don't want to look at all the faces who suddenly know my name because of me "ditching" Jeremy Levman.

I just laid down and went to sleep. Apollo curled up by my face, leaning his body against my pillow, and tonight I didn't even get mad at him for his tail swatting my neck.


End file.
